Jordan Daniel Wood On His Departure From David Bentley Hart
Apr 3, 2023
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Jordan Wood discusses his departure from David Bentley Hart, focusing on the person of Christ, panentheism, and the role of nature and grace in Maximus. They explore the teachings of Maximus on nature and grace, admire each other's writing, and delve into historical perspectives on focusing on Christ and the incarnation. They also discuss the editing process, the challenges of being theologians, and Forging Plow Shares' resources.
Jordan Wood emphasizes the importance of understanding the person of Christ in reconciling tensions between nature and grace.
Wood discusses the interconnection between creation, deification, and the incarnation of Christ as God's purpose.
There is potential for reconciliation and reproachment between the theologies of Maximus the Confessor and Thomas Aquinas, offering a fuller understanding of the truth.
Deep dives
Maximus the Confessor's work on the nature of grace and objections raised by David Bentley Hart
In this podcast episode, Jordan and Daniel Wood discuss the work of Maximus the Confessor, focusing on Jordan's dissertation and recent book. Jordan explains the objections and implications raised by some scholars, particularly David Bentley Hart. The discussion revolves around the concept of grace in Maximus' work, addressing the disjunction between nature and grace, as well as the ubiquity of grace within all of nature. Jordan's perspective aligns with the idea that grace is not a third thing outside of God, but rather a name for God himself. He emphasizes that the person of Christ is the key to understanding the reconciliation of opposites and the resolution of tensions in nature and grace.
Exploring the implications of the Christological understanding of creation and its movements
The conversation delves into the nature of creation and its relationship to the incarnation of Christ. Jordan presents the view that creation is inherently oriented towards deification, and that the very purpose of God's work is to raise children. He highlights the interconnectedness between Christology and eschatology, emphasizing that the union of the divine and human natures in Jesus is not a negation of their distinction, but a demonstration of their mutual integration and oneness. He argues that the mystery of the incarnation and the logic of essence and nature are at the core of understanding the peaceable gospel and the transformative power of love for union with God.
Addressing the possible departure from Thomas Aquinas' theology
The conversation touches on the relationship between Maximus the Confessor's theology and that of Thomas Aquinas. While Jordan acknowledges some differences between their perspectives, he does not view them as an absolute separation. Instead, he suggests that there is a potential for reconciliation and reproachment between their ideas. Jordan highlights specific aspects, such as the nature of the hypostatic union and the relationship between created and uncreated grace, where there may be discrepancies or nuances. He emphasizes that these differences do not diminish the coherence or integrity of Maximus' theology, but rather offer a fuller picture of the truth.
The dynamic of love and the purpose of creation
The discussion explores the concept of love as the driving force behind creation and its ultimate purpose. Jordan emphasizes the importance of raising children as God's purpose in creation and the dynamic of love involved in this process. He clarifies that this understanding is not a panentheistic view, but rather a pan-crystism, which acknowledges that all things have their ultimate source in God. Jordan draws upon Christian theologians like Richard Rohr and Maurice Blondel to illustrate the interconnectedness between love, creation, and the incarnation of Christ. He presents creation as a movement towards deification and the reunion of all things in God's love.
Resolving tensions in the understanding of the unity of opposites
The conversation explores the resolution of tensions between opposites in Christian theology. Jordan explains that the person of Christ is the key to understanding this resolution and the synthesis of seemingly irreconcilable elements. He contends that the person of Christ serves as a synthesis of opposing realities, which avoids simple negation or fusion on the same grounds. Jordan suggests that the mystery of the incarnation and the ongoing dynamics of love provide a way to understand the unity of opposites and the reconciliatory power of Christ. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing the person of Christ and the transformative nature of love in comprehending this unity.
In Part 3 of Matt and Paul's interview with Jordan Wood, Jordan differentiates his and Maximus' focus on the person of Christ from David Hart's clinging to formal categories and tendency toward abstraction. Jordan also addresses the issue of panentheism, his departure from Thomas Aquinas, and his understanding of the role of nature and grace in Maximus.
